The present invention relates to an apparatus which creates vapor from fluid to be directed upon the skin of an animate body and in particular to an electronic fluid level sensing means and associated monitoring control and disabling circuitry in combination with a vapor ionizer and associated circuit means to step up the voltage for ionization of the vapor by rapidly pulsing low voltages.
Vaporizing apparatuses are utilized to prepare the skin of an animate subject for various dermatological operations. The apparatus heats a supply of fluid, usually water, to provide and direct a warm vapor to heat and moisten the skin of the subject to open the pores thereof.
A problem which has arisen in the art is providing an adequate means of sensing a lower water level in the container tank, which contains the supply of water, to prevent tank and heater burn-out. Some similar devices have no level-sensing means while others have utilized two electrodes imposed within the container. In prior art devices the electrodes, when water is present, conduct current through the water to complete a circuit. When water is not present, the circuit is broken whereby means for signalling such are activated. There are occasionally means to disable the heater. However, mineral deposits often times accumulate in the container. Current will often flow therethrough to complete the circuit and thus the related control electronics would sense that water was still available in the container. If distilled water is used to alleviate the mineral conductivity problem, the control electronics usually sense that water is not present due to the fact that distilled water is a very poor conductor.